Automatic oiling, drifting, and vacuum-breaking device



Oct. 2-1 1924.

C. STERN ET AL AUTOMATIOOILING, DRIFTING, AND VACUUM BREAKING DEVICE Fil pril 14. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet Richard Mai/ace Brad? btom san we Oct; .21 1 .2 6. STERN ET AL AUTOMATIC 01mm, 'D'IR-IFTVIVANG, AND VACUUM'BREAKING DEVICE F lamma 14 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4v I. W 4 M a WWW Patented Oct. 21, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

CHARLES STERN, 0F JERSEY CITY, NEJT JERSEY, AND RICHARD "W. BRAIDEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOES TO B. 65 f5. ll'IAN'UFACTURIhl'G PRODUCTS CORPORATION, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC OILING, DEIFTING, AND VAOUUlllI-BREAKING DEVICE.

Application filed April 14, 1921. Serial No. 461,447.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES STERN and RICHARD WALLACE BRADEN, citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, and of 7 9 Washington Place, borough of Manhattan, county, city, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Oiling, Drifting, and Vacuum-Breaking Devices, of-which the following is a specification.

The device which is the subject of this invention is intended primarily as a means for supplying oil to the cylinder and pistons of an engine or locomotive during the time that the engine is drifting or operating without the usual supply of steam passing into the steam chest and cylinders, but is supplied with means for allowing oil to pass into the cylinders during the course of the ordinary operation when steam is also passing into the cylinders.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for breaking the vacuum in the cylinders producedby the movement of the pistons when the engine is coasting, this vacuum retards the movement of the pistons to a material extent but with our device a small quantity or amount of steam is admitted which assists the movement of the pistons, prevents the formation of the vacuum and increases the coasting limits.

Another object of the invention is to provide a single device which will admit oil under normal conditions, will control and assure a flow of oil under abnormal conditions and will prevent the formation of a vacuum within the cylinders of the engine and will function automatically responding to changes of operating conditions without attention upon the part of the operator and yet one that will indicate or visually register each operation or change in the condition or position of the device.

ith these objects in mind the following is what we consider a good means of carrying out the invention and the accompanying drawings should be referred to for a complete understanding ofthe specification.

In the drawings I Fig. 1 shows a locomotive with our device in operative position.

Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view of our device.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the application of the device to a steam chest and cylinder, and

Figure l is an enlarged section of the device similar to Figure 2 but with the pistons in the upper position.

Similar reference numerals indicate like parts in all the figures where they appear.

The locomotive shown in Fig. 1 and designated by the numeral 3 may be of any design or size. y We have selected a simple type of locomotive merely for the purpose of showing our device with the least possible confusion of parts.

The locomotive 3 is provided with a steam chest 4:, a cylinder 5, a steam supply pipe 8 at one side thereof and similar parts upon the other side and. it will he understood that in describing only one side of the locomotive that the devices referred to should be and are duplicated at the other side of the locomotive. We also utilize an oil pipe '7 and lubricator 8 of ordinary design and arrangement.

The reference numeral 9 indicates our entire device and this device may be located adjacent to the steam chest 4 to which it is connected by branch pipe 10 and by a pipe 11. The pipe 12 may also be connected with the'steam chest or as shown, to the steam supply pipe 6 and the pipe 13 running approximately parallel to the oil pipe 7 should be connected to a header within the cab or to a source of steam supply and should have a control valve 14: also within the cab. A pipe 15 having a valve 16 may be connected to the pipe 10 and the end of the pipe 15 may be introduced into the cylinder 5 for a purpose that shall appear later. In Figure 2 the pipe 11 should be connected at the bottom of our device and should enter therethrough and under the piston 17. This piston may be formed integral withor secured to a piston or valve rod 18 and at the upper end of the rod 18 we provide a second piston 19 which is secured upon the rod 18.

Within the casing 9 we provide a chamber 20 and the pipe 13 connects with this chamber 20 while the pipe 10 extends through the inner wall of the chamber 20. Within the rod or valve stem 18 we'provide a plurality of circumferential grooves 21 and 22 and it will be noted that the rod or valve stem is also drilled longitudinally with a passage 23 extending almost the full length of the rod 18.

. From the annular passage we provide restricted passages or holes 25 communicating with the passage 20 and terminating under the valve or piston 19 and from the lower end of the chamber 20 similar restricted passages 26 terminate over the valve or piston 17 and we may provide pins 27 for preventing rotation of the pistons and rod 18 and a plug 28 the position of which will indicate the movement of the pistons 17 and 19 and rod 18 as this olug is screw-threaded into the end of the rod 18. From the lower end of the passage 23 through the rod 18 restricted passages or perforations 29 extend outward to a point over the piston 18 for a purpose that shall appear later. 7

The main body of the casing or member 9 may be formed as a single unit and we prefer that it should be provided with screw-threads 30 and 31 for end enclosing ill members 32 and 33 and the end members may be provided with recesses 34 and 35 for the reception of a spanner-wrench.

lVhen the operator opens the valve 1 1 steam flows through the pipe into the annular chamber 20 and horn the annular chamber 20' up through the ports 25 against the lower surface of the piston 19, which "piston 19 has a larger surface area than the piston 17. The pressure of steam against the lower surface of the piston 19 raises the piston 19 and with it the rod 18 and piston 17. In this position the annular recess 22 coincides with the passages 36 and 37 and oil flowing from the pipe 7 will pass through the recess 22 into the passage 37 and from the passage 37 into the steam chest or steam supply pipe without obstruction.

V7 hen the operator opens up the throttle of the engine steam from the steam chest passes through the pipe 11 under the piston 17. 1

When the operator closes the throttle of the engine all steam from the steam chest is shut off and the movements of he pistons of the engine use up all steam and causes a vacuum. As a result of this vacuum the piston 17 is drawn down and this movement of the piston 17 carries down with it the rod 18 and piston 19 causing the device to assume the position shown in Figure 2. In this position the annular recess 22 will have descended and oil willnot pass into the *passageS'? but instead oil from the pipe 7 will flow into the passage 23.

Vhen the device IS in the position shown in Figure 2 the ports 29 are uncovered and oil from the passage 2-3 will flow through the ports '29. Steam from the, chamber 20 will pass through the ports 26 and this steam will carry with it the oil coming from the ports 29 and the steam mixed with such oil will pass out through the pipe 19 to the steam chest or cylinders of the locomotive. hen the device in the position shown in Figure 2 the circuinferential grooves 21 are in such pos tion that steam from the chamber 20 will pass into the pipe 19 it being noted that the pipe 10 has no connection with the chamber 29 0. pt through the circumf rential grooves 21. The steam which flows ll the pipe 10 serves to break any i in the engine cylinders.

ll hen the engine is coming to a stop pres sure in the locomotive steam chest builds up n from the pipe 11 pressing against l8? side of the piston 17 causes the p 17 to rise. and with the piston 17 the rodv and piston 19. Thereby the de vice is ca. d to again assume the position shown in igure 3.

1n the event of a broken valve gear or other condition that would make it dosi he that a. cylinder be made inoperative and which may necessitate locking the ports it will not be necessary to remove the main rods or to block the cross-heads bccause of lack of lubrication in the cylinder. Under this condition the valve 11 may be closed and the valve 16 opened. ()il will then be injected directly into the cylinder through the pipe 15 and the pistons in the a inder 5 may continue to operate without fear of scoring the cylinder or wearing the piston rings.

Peritorations 42 may be provided in the cap to permit any steam which may leak around the piston 19 to escape into the atmosphere. The same result may be accomplished by enlarging the opening around the member 28. Under normal conditions the valve d1 on the pipe 10 is always open but if for any reason it should be desirable to feed direct to the cylinders the valve 41 is closes and the valve 16 on the pipe 15 is opened to permit direct feed to the cylinders.

It the locomotive to which our device is attached is operating under the condition of broken valve or parts as above set forth, or when it is being towed for any reason, the valve 10 in the pipe 10" should also be closed to prevent the bypass of steam into the steam chest, and the ordinary drainccclis on the cylinder 5 should be open to prevent the formation of a vacuum or and pressure upon the pistons and to allow for the discharge for the small amount of steam entering through the pipe 15 and serving as a carrier for the oil. 7

To prevent steam passing backward through the pipe 10 when the valve 16 is open or into the casing of our device ll l 14 is closed, We may provide a check valve 43 closing away from the steam chest 4.

Having carefully and fully described our invention what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a chamber in constant open communication with a source of saturated steam supply and in controlled communication with the valve chest of a locomotive, and means for introducing lubricant to the locomotive steam supply when normal operating pressure exists in the valve chest and for cutting ofi' this lubricant from the steam supply and furnishing the lubricant to the saturated steam supply when the pressure in the steam chest falls.

2. A device as described comprising a casing in communication with a source of saturated steam supply and also in communication with the steam supply pipe, steam chest and cylinder of a locomotive, and valve means in said casing for allowing the supply of lubricant to the steam supply pipe and cutting off the supply of saturated steam to the steam chest when the locomotive is under power but cutting off the lubricant from the steam supply pipe and furnishing an admixture of saturated steam and lubricant to the valve chest and cylinder when the locomotive is drifting.

3. In a device of the character described a casing means for passing oil through said casing and means within said casing for controlling the passage of oil, means for passing steam through said casing and means within said casing for controlling the passage of the steam and means for bypassing steam and oil and mixing them within the casing and for controlling the passage of oil and steam for the purpose set forth.

4. In a device of the character described means for controlling the flow of lubricating oil into the steam chest of an engine and means operable by said controlling means for by-passing said oil directly to the cylinder of an engine.

CHARLES STERN. RICHARD W. BRADEN. 

